Method of assembling strip material



April 7, 1931. E. F. MAAS ET AL METHOD OF ASSEMBLING STRIP MATERIALFiled Jan. 1'7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet gnu@ 1 foe' @dez mom@

QQ E am April 7, 1931. E. F. MAAS E'r AL v 1,800,133

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed Jan. 17. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2@Hoang Patented Apr. 7, 1931 g N UNITED STATES PATENT` `FFICF.

nLovI.. MAAs AND ROBERT W. SNYDER, or AKRON, c1110,` Assrenons To THEGOOD- YEAR TIRE a numana COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A OORPORATIONOF OHIOMETHOD OF ASSEMBLING STRIP MATERIAL Application led January 17, 1928.Serial No. 947,330.

This invention relates to laminated fabrics and itV has particularrelation to a novel method and apparatus for assembling the constituentparts of breaker strip material fornse in the construction of pneumatictire casings. l

It is customary in the manufacture of breaker `strip `material to removestrips of fabric individually from a bias cutting ma- Chine and placethem 4in so-called books, in

which condition they are transported to other, devices for furthertreatment. The above-mentioned books comprise a plurality of sheets ofliner material bound together along one side and are adapted to receivea'single bias cut strip between each pair of sheets. Obviously, muchlabor is involved in thus transporting the bias cut strips from oneapparatus to another.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a method andapparatus whereby the bias cut pieces may be united into a continuousstri-p, one or more layers of cushioning materiel applied to the strip,and the Strip wound with an interposed liner into a roll, all in `onelcontinuous operation.

A further Object of the invention is to provide a novel method andapparatus whereby a plurality of fabric pieces moving in edge to ,edgerelation upon a support may be united and drawn from the support as acontinuous strip. The invention also involves certain novel features ofconstruction and `arrangements of `,elements which will be fully pointedout hereinafter.

\ For a better understanding `of `the invention, reference may now behad .to the ac companying drawings, forming a part of the disclesure, inwhich Figure 1 is a sidevelevatonal View of an aggroupmentofinstrumentalities embodying the novel features of the invention;Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus Shown in Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a detail view, upon a larger scale, of a strip guidingmeans.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in :the .accompanyingdrawings a frame 10,7which supports various parts of the apparatus, isdisposed adjacent a frame 12 of a horizontal bias cutting machine 13.Since the bias cutting machine 13 is of c011- ventional form, only thatportion thereof which coacts with the Yother instrumentali tios of `theapparatus is herein shown.

Asusual, the bias cutting machine 13 embodies means for severing a stripof fabric on a bias into a plurality of pieces 14 which are conveyed inedge to edge relation along a table l5 of the machine. A pair of bracketelements 16, `secured to and depending from respective frame members 17and 18, rotatably support a pair of spaced guide rollers 19. The axes ofthe rollers 19 extend at right angles to the lines of severance 21between adjacent pieces 14 in order that after the pieces have beenunited at their ends, as indicated at22, to form a continuous strip 23,the rollerswill engage alternately with the strip as the latter israised from the table 1,5.

A guide member24 of U-shape depends from the member 17 midway betweenthe bracket elements 16 and guides the strip 23 over a freely rotatableroller 25 journalled in brackets 26 depending from the frame members 17and 18. "FrOm the roller 25 the strip 23 passes under an idle roller 27and over a power driven roller 28 to a calender machine 29 which may bebolted to the same bed plate 31 that supports the bias cutter 13.

T he roller 28 is carried by a shaft 32 our nalled in depending brackets33 secured to frame members 34 and 35, and has a sprocket wheel `36mounted on an end thereof for driving the shaft. The roller 27 issupported in a plane below the roll 28, by arms 37 depending from theframe members 34 and 35 respectively, so 4that the strip 23 is caused toengage a large portion of the surface of the roll 28.

A motor 38, bolted to the bed plate 31, has a pinion 39 keyed to itsshaft which meshes with an idler gear 41 mounted on astub shaft 42secured to the frame 43 of the calender 29. The gear 41 meshes with agear 44 keyed to the main driving shaft 45 of the calender.

` The calender machine 29 may be of any well known type which is capableof applying a layer of cushioning material to one or both sides of afabric strip fed therethrough. As

shown, 'rotation'of rollers 46 and 47, having a batch 48 of cushioningmaterial disposed therebetween, serves to form a continuous layer ofmaterial upon the roll 46 which is progressively applied to the strip 23as the latter is fed between the roller 46 and a roller 49 mounteddirectly upon the shaft45. f

A sprocket wheel 51, keyed to the shaft 45,

. is adjustably carried by'a slotted bracket 61 secured to the frame 10.

Roller carrying brackets 62, secured to portions of'the frame 10 and tothe frame of the calender 29, serve to guide the strip 23 to and fromthe calender 29. rlhe strip 23 passes from the last bracket 62 toaconveyor 63, which ycarries it tov t-he wind-up mechanism L 64. Asshown, the conveyor 63 comprises an endless band trained about a roller65 Y adjustably j ournalled in the frame 10 and a roller 66carried by ashaft 67 journalled in bearings 68 secured to the frame 10. I

A sprocket wheel 69, keyed to the shaft 67, is driven through the agencyof an endless chain 71 from a speed control device 72 which is, in turn,driven by an endless chain 73 engaging a sprocket wheel 74 keyed to theshaft 56. Any desired form of speed controlling device may be employed.The form shown Yin the accompanying drawing comprises a pair ofoppositely tapered rollers 75 and an endless belt 7.6 passing about thetwo rollers so that movement ofthe belt 76 longitudinally of the rollers75 will vary the speed of travel of the chain 71:. 'v f In order thatthe operationof'the complete apparatus nmay be continuous, a pair oflike vwind-up devices 77 are provided. Each of these devices comprisesan upright member 78 secured at its lower end to the frame 10, whichvsupports at its upper end'a shaft 79 upon which al roll'81 of linerVmaterial 82 maybe. rotatablymounted. An arm 83, pivotallyconne'cted, asindicated Vat 84, to the frame member 78, rotatably supports-a roller 85whichis adapted to be rotated by movement of the conveyor 63 to wind thecushion strip 23 and the liner 82 into a roll 8,6. While one of theunits 77 is operating, a new roll 81- may be positioned on and a fullvroll 86 may be removed from the other unit.

practice, operatorsfstand at eachv side of the table 15 ofthe biasYcutter 13 to splice the ends of the pieces 14, in order that acontinuousstrip 23 may be fed by the'roller 28 to the calender machine29. From the calenrder the strip 23, to which one yor more layers ofcushioning material have been applied, is

guided to the conveyor 63 which carries it to the wind-up mechanism 64.

Although we have illustrated only one form which the invention mayassume and have described indetail only a single application thereefA itwillv be 1 apparenty to v those skilled inthe art that the inventionisnot so limited, but that various minor modifications may be madetherein without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or fromthe'scope of the appended claims.

TWhat we claim is:

1. A method of producingv a continuous strip of material which comprisescutting strips 'transverselyfrom a sheet of material and-splicing.y theends of the consecutively cut strips alternately'at jopposite sides 0fvthe sheet of material.

V2.Y A method fof producingra strip of material which Vcomprisescuttingstrips transversely from a sheet of material, splicingthe ends oftheconsecutively cutstrips alterna'ely at opposite sides of the sheet ofmateriah'and conveying the spliced strips in a continuous length fromthe location of the cutting operation;`V y j j 'Y 3. A methodV ofproducing strips of material which comprises vcutting' stripstransversely from ra Vhorizontally Vdisposed sheet of material, splicingthe ends of adjacent strips alternately at opposite sides of the cutsheet of material, and elevating the spliced-strips in a continuouslength to a point above and between the edges lof thel horizontal sheetof material. 'Y

v4. A method-of producing a' strip of material which comprises movingthe sheet vof material in a 4horizontal plane, cutting the sheet ofmaterial on La bias into adjacent strips, splicing theY ends of`adjacent strips alternately at 'opposite sides ofthe sheet of material,and elevating the splicedstrips in a'continuous length to a point aboveand substantially midway between the edges of the path ofmovement ofvthesheet of material. 'Y f 5. A method of producing a ycontinuous stripY ofmaterial which'comprises moving a sheetofl-Inaterial'in ahorizontalplane, cutting the sheet of materialen a bias'into adj acent strips,splicing the strips alternately at opposite sidesof the path of'movementof the path of the materiahcon'veying the spliced strips in akcontinuous length from the location of splicing, and calenderingcushioning materialupon the continuous strip. s

A method ofproducing a continuous Y strip of Vmaterial which comprisesmoving a sheet of material in a horizontal plane, cutting the sheet ofmaterial on a biasl into adjacent strips, 'splicing the ends of adjacentstrips alternately at opposite 'sides 'of the pat-h of movement'of thesheet of material, conveying the spliced stripsin a continuous lengthafter the splicing thereof, fcalendering cushioning material Vupon thespliced continuous strip, and win ing the spliced strip Wilthin theconvolutions of a liner into a ro l.'

7 A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisesmoving a sheet of material in a horizontal plane, cutting the sheet on abias into aV series of adj acent strips, splicing the ends of adjacentstrips alternately at opposite sides of` the path of movement of thesheet, conveying the spliced strips in a continuous length after thesplicing thereof, elevating the spliced strips in a continuous length toa point above and between the edges of the plane of the horizontal stripof material and calendering cushioning material uponspliced strips.

8. A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisesmoving a sheet of material in a horizontal plane, cutting the sheet on abias into a series of a'djacent strips, splicing the ends of adjacentstrips alternately at opposite sides of the path `of movement of thesheet, conveying the spliced strips in a continuous length after thesplicing thereof, elevating the spliced strips in a continuous length toa point above and between the edges of the plane of the horizontal stripof material, calendering cushioning material upon the spliced strips,and winding the spliced and calendered strips within the convolutions ofa liner into a roll.

9. A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisesproviding a plurality of strips of material lying in edgeto-edgerelation upon a support, splicing the ends of adjacent stripsalternately at opposite sides of the support and drawing the resultingcontinuous strip from the support to a point substantially midwaybetween the extremities of the support.

10. A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisesproviding a plurality of strips of material lying in edgeto-edgerelation upon a support, splicing the ends of adjacent stripsalternately at opposite sides of the support, and drawing the resultingcontinuous strip from the support to a point above and substantiallymidway between the sides of the support.

11. A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisesmoving a plurality of strips in edge-to-edge relation laterally upon asupport, splicing the ends of adjacent strips alternately at oppositesides of the support, and drawing the resulting y continuous strip to apoint substantially midway between the sides of the support.

12. A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisesmovin a plurality of strips laterally in edge-to-edge relation upon asupport, splicing the ends of adjacent strips alternately at oppositesides of the support, drawing the resulting continuous strip from thesupport to a point intermediate the path of movement of the laterallymoving strips and progressively applying cushioning material to thecontinuous strip.

13. A method of roducing a continuous strip of material which comprisesmovin a plurality of strips laterally in edge-to-e ge relation upon asupport, splicing the ends of adjacent strips alternately at oppositesides' of the support, drawing the resulting continuous strip from thesupport to a point midway between the sides of the support,progressively applying cushioning material to the continuous strip, andwinding the cushioning strip within, the convolutions of a liner into aroll.

14. A method of producing a continuous strip of material which comprisescutting a plurality of strips on abias from a sheet of material, movingthe cut strips laterally from the location of cutting, splicing the endsof adjacent strips alternately at opposite sides of the path of movementof the laterally moving strip, progressively applying cushioningmaterial to the strips and winding the cushioning strip within theconvolutions of a liner into a roll.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

Signed at Akron, in the county of Summit, and State of Ohio, this 13 dayof January,

ELOV F. MAAS. ROBERT W. SNYDER.

